A/N: Happy Ten Tuesday!
"Mom and dad said 7:30," Emma scolded quietly.
"You used to be my partner in crime!" Noah whisper yelled back.
"Oh hush I still am and you know it," Emma replied, a smile in her voice.
Noah smirked, secretly adoring the admission from his big sister. "I'll know it if you change Teddy."
"You need to learn how to change poopy diapers!"
"They're so gross," Noah gagged as Teddy giggled and Emma lifted him from his crib, disappearing from view of the monitor, followed by Noah.
"For as much as he loves him he really hates the poopy diapers," El said, resting the monitor on his stomach and hugging Liv closer to his chest.
"It is strange when you think about it," she said through a yawn, nuzzling into him and closing her eyes.
The pair had been up late making love, and were still naked, bodies pressed together as they listened to their family begin to wake up and enjoyed the final 30 minutes of their Christmas solace.
Eli: You guys are so loud. Shhhh
N: Oh okay DAD.
Em: You were awake don't lie.
Eli: I know but still shhhh
N: Did Sammi agree to the date!!
Eli: Yesssss
Em: Yay!!!!!
Eli: :) :)
N: Don't mess it up
Em: Seriously
Eli: Do you think the gift I got her is too much?
N: Nah
Em: Nooo. Just a necklace!
Em: She'll love it
N: Wait can we babysit
Eli: With mom or dad home, sure
Eli: They're a handful, not that I don't trust you
N: Wooooooooooooot
Emma finished changing Teddy when the boys got distracted with their grandma who was just waking up. She picked up her phone to read a separate text from Eli.
Eli: Can I tell you a secret
Em: Duh
Eli: Like a super secret secret
Em: I kept the Peter and Liz secret for a year and a half
Eli: Touché
Eli: I bought a ring.
Em: Yeah I know?? The band, I was with you.
Eli: No like… a diamond.
Em: Eli you what?!
Eli: I know, I know… It's small and she deserves so much more but I saw it and it's so her, Em. It felt right.
Eli: Idk when Ill give it to her but I just knew it was the one. I just knew it.
Em: Elliiiiiii. You drive me nuts but I love you!!!!!
Eli: I love you sis. Don't tell anyone!
Em: I won't! You wanna hide it in my room?
Eli: Good idea
Em: Omg we need to discuss and there's no private place in this house
Eli: Can I take you to lunch this week?
Em: Yess!
Eli: Okay. :) She's waking up, let me go.
Eli set down his phone and rolled into Sam who was stirring. "Merry Christmas, babe."
"Hmmm Merry Christmas," she whispered, hiding her face in his chest.
"Babies ate and are fast asleep… Noah is impatiently waiting for 7:30 and I thiiink Anna Kate is awake."
She chuckled softly and kissed his chest. "Time is it?"
"Just past 7…"
"Good," she mewled softly, tangling their legs so she was straddling one of his, knee lined perfectly at her center.
He smiled, pressing their lips together in a heated and passionate dance as they moved their hips in sync, careful to not squeak or bang the bed.
"We have a lot to talk about," she whispered between kisses.
"I know, and we will… but enjoy this moment with me?" He asked, pulling back lightly.
She answered him with a kiss, and rolled her hips a little more firmly into his knee, finding a fast and steady rhythm that began to drive her mad with desire.
"Lemme take care of you," he mumbled, but she shook her head. "You are… don't stop, please?"
"'Kay," he nodded, squeezing his eyes shut as the pressure began to build in his own groin.
"Gonna cum in your pants," she teased lightly, breathlessly, as she rocked her hips harder.
"Trying not to," he mumbled, nipping and sucking as her bottom lip.
"Swear you got bigger," she whimpered on his mouth, leading his hand to her still sensitive breasts and encouraging him to roll her nipples in his fingers.
Gasping softly, she pushed her face into his chest and let out a stifled moan as her body went rigid against him.
"Sam," he grunted lightly, keeping his knee moving as she rode out her orgasm and her body shook.
"Wanna taste you," she mumbled, suddenly breaking free from his embrace and shimmying down the bed, under the covers.
"Sam," he exclaimed softly, rather shocked at her sudden affinity for dirty talk as she wrapped his lips around him and brought him to a quick finish.
"Fuck that come from," he asked breathlessly when she re-emerged from under the blankets, licking her lips and pressing her mouth to his in a searing kiss.
"Just trying out some new things," she said shyly as he brushed her hair behind her ears. "Yeah?" He asked softly, kissing her again as the rise and fall of his chest finally evened out.
"Like?"
"Love… but love you anyways," he clarified, coming back to life below her and rolling his hips upwards.
"We should stop doing this," she said, and he shook his head. "Right now or in general?" He asked and she breathed out a soft laugh.
"Maybe both?"
"Maybe tomorrow?" He suggested and she giggled softly. "Tomorrow…"
EJ started to whine on cue as Eli's phone buzzed.
"Got him," Sam said, climbing up to get their little boy.
Eli sat up and lifted his phone.
D: AK is going stir crazy. Is dad awake?
E: Lmao. Probably! Noah too.
D: They all up?
E: Course!
D: I'm gonna infiltrate. Twins up?
E: EJ the boy who never stops eating? Yeah he just woke up again lol
D: Might wanna supplement
E: We are! Dude is starving always.
D: Oh okay good! Try rice cereal in formula
E: What??
D: Sarah said she'll show you guys and make one after gifts.
E: Tell her she's my favorite sister in law. Bring my niece in here while you go torture Noh.
D: Kk
Eli had just settled back with Joey when there was a soft knock at the door, followed by Dickie and Anna Kate coming in.
The little one gasped and waved, reaching for her Uncle Eli and Auntie Sam.
"Merry Christmas, sweetie," Eli smiled as Dickie set her on the bed. She speed crawled Into his lap and settled there, looking down at Joey with a big grin.
"Loves that cousin of her's," he chuckled, pulling in a now nursing Sam and EJ in for a side hug. "Merry Christmas, hun," he smiled, sitting on the bed and leaning to peck Joey's head.
"Merry Christmas little one," he whispered cutely.
"What am I? Chopped liver?" Eli asked with a grin.
"No, just an irrelevant dad. Merry Christmas, twerp," he laughed softly.
"Thanks brother, merry Christmas!"
"I'm gonna go get Noah. Text the gang and make sure mom and dad are decent. I think we should all wake them up," he laughed softly and Eli nodded in agreement. "Brilliant," he teased, picking up his phone as Sammi sat back beside him and laid on his shoulder.
Kissing her head, he texted the siblings.
E: Everyone up?
M: We are!
K: We are, I'll wake Liz
E: Dick's getting the littles, we wanna wake mom and dad up lol all of us
K: Haha yes!!
M: In!!
L: Haha yes I love it make sure they're dressed
E: thats my next text lmao
Switching to his thread with his dad, he texted him next
E: Ya decent?
El: Of course? Why wouldn't we be?
E: Dad don't make this weird
El: LOL. Yes we're good thanks for checking.
"Who's that," Liv whispered rubbing her tired eyes.
"Eli. I think our wake up call is coming earlier than expected."
"Shocking," she giggled softly before going silent and listening to the clamoring outside of their room.
"They good?" Dickie whispered.
"Yep," Eli replied
Noah burst through the door, then, running and jumping on the bed with an excited howl of "Merry Christmas!!"
El caught him and laughed, hard, kissing his cheek several times and wishing it back as The rest of the kids joined on the bed with the grand-babies, Sarah, and Sam.
"Boys you're not joining too?" El asked his son in laws who were standing in the door way.
"I'm already wearing a onesie in front of you don't make me get in your bed too," Beau quipped making everyone cackle harder.
"Mom mom mom mom mom," Noah said excited, shaking his moms arm. "We have to see if Santa came!"
"Alright, alright," she laughed with a yawn, "let's go!"
"Waaait," El said jumping up. "Gotta set up the camera!"
The big kids playfully groaned and Noah fell back, holding his heart. "I'm not gonna make it," he cried, laughing when Teddy and Anna Kate crawled on top of him.
The hour and a half that followed was complete and utter bedlam of the best kind.
Noah and Emma had gotten new dance and soccer stuff, including a bar for their guess room and a new net.
Anna Kate sprinted right to her kitchen and started playing, forgoing all other gifts much to her parents dismay and amusement.
Teddy was overwhelmed, crawling from toy to toy as Noah helped him open the wrapped gifts and the big bros all started on battery and unboxing duty.
Emma was ecstatic at the new make up vanity that "Santa" had brought her, that was fully stocked with expensive make up and hair products from Liz and Peter, and Noah was bouncing off the walls at his new Nintendo Switch.
As the kids played and we're distracted with all their new stuff, the couples took time to exchange gifts with each other.
Carl, Dickie, and Eli all laughed when they opened baseball hats that said "dad squad" on them that the girls had chosen for them, and Eli had to quickly wipe his eyes at the tiny Princeton soccer jerseys she'd gotten their son and daughter with "J. Stabler" and "E. J. Stabler" on the back.
Sam tucked herself into his arms as she opened her gift from him, gasping softly when she pulled out a 14 karat gold, two-bar engraved necklace with their babies first and middle names on each bar.
"Eli," she whispered, looking up at him.
"Flip it over," he said softly and she spun it around, eyes filling with tears.
On the back was her mother's name and dates.
"So she's always close to your heart," he said into her ear, kissing her cheeks a few times.
"It's perfect," she whispered, wiping her eyes. "I love you so much…"
"I love you," he said, hugging her tightly to him as he handed her another small box, ignoring his parent's eyes on them.
"Just a little something… a promise that one day I'm gonna make you mine, if you'll let me…" he said, just so she could hear, as she opened the box to reveal a thin diamond studded band that was similar to the engagement ring his dad had bought his mom. "You don't have to wear it but… I hope you'll keep it, at least."
He watched her spin it around in awe with trembling hands, smiling when she finally saw the engraving on the inside.
Angels don't always have wings.
"E…" her voice broke again as her tears fell. "Our song…"
"Mhm," he said, taking the band from her and slipping it onto her right hand ring finger. "You're my angel," he mumbled into her ear, having to remind himself that they were in front of his entire family.
She exhaled and dropped her hands to her lap pulling the ring off and slipping it on her left hand, feeling his breath stutter against her back.
In response, he just hugged her a little closer and rested his head on her's, burying his nose in her hair and watching his siblings continue to exchange gifts.
Sarah got a similar necklace, but with a single bar and name of the baby boy they lost on it, and Dickie a new crucifix with their boy's name on the back, too.
"What was his name, Dick?" Liz asked her twin gently, making everyone look towards them.
Receiving an encouraging nod from Sarah, he smiled small and wrapped his arm tightly around her. "Oliver Elliot," he nodded with a small smile, winking at his parents.
Liv's hand flew to her chest and Elliot kissed her cheek, blinking away his tears rapidly.
"But enough of that," he said, clearing his throat after kissing Sarah a few times. "Mo you've got some news," he chuckled, his big sister having shared the name of her little one once she accidentally found out they'd named their angel baby Oliver.
"We do," she smiled small, rubbing her belly. "Next Christmas we'll have two Olivia Margarets here," she said, smiling at her mom as everyone awed.
"Five grandkids here next year… can you believe it, mama?" El asked and Liv chuckled, shaking her head and kissing EJ's head as he nuzzled into her. "Not at all."
"Actually…" Katie said softly with a small smile, looking to Beau.
Every head in the room whipped towards them, jaws dropped in anticipation.
"Make that six," she said with a growing grin as Noah jumped up from his spot and rushed to tackle Beau.
Everyone laughed, sharing their congratulations and love and sheer joy for the newly expecting parents, before looking to Liz and Peter expectantly.
"Hey I brought someone home that's all you're getting from me," Liz said, holding her hands up and making everyone laugh.
"This," Noah announced with a nod, now smooshed in between Katie and Beau, "is the best Christmas ever."
"You said that last year," Emma teased.
"I lied," he said dramatically, sending everyone into laughter again.
"Daddy what did you get mom?" Liz said, motioning to her parents.
"Eight kids and six grandkids!" He exclaimed, making everyone laugh.
"Nah, they like to do their private thing after everyone leaves tonight," Emma smiled.
"Why even are you guys so creepy and secretive?" Noah asked, mouthful of Christmas cookie.
"Okay first, we aren't creepy," El laughed.
"And second, where did you get that?!" Liv exclaimed, giving a look to Beau who also had a mouthful of cookie and making him laugh.
"Mom and dad have had too many years of insanity together… people speculating and trying to pry into their lives… they like they're secret and intimate moments," Mo smiled.
"Exactly," El nodded, sticking his tongue out at them with a laugh.
"Well I'm just saying, better be something good," Noah scoffed, taking another bite of cookie.
It was 10pm by the time their squads had come and gone for dinner and the big kids went home, Mo and Carl taking Bernie back with them.
Eli and Sam chose to stay one extra night, and had gone to bed with the twins, exhausted and just needing some alone time.
Noah had passed out from his sugar high an hour before, and El had carried him into his sisters room after she reminded him that he'd begged for one more night of a sleepover.
Teddy was in his crib in his usual position, face to the mattress and butt in the air, and Liv was sat on the couch in just the glow of the Christmas tree lights, watching him on the monitor.
She set it down when she heard her husband come back from their room, and smiled over her shoulder at him.
"Hi," he said, plopping beside her and kissing her.
"Hi," she grinned, leaning back and looking up to him.
"Merry Christmas," he whispered, handing her over a small bag, simultaneously taking one from her.
"Merry Christmas to you," she said, motioning for him to open it.
He pulled out a tie with "papa" "dad" "daddy" "daddio" "babe" and "Sarge" on it, repeating in diagonal lines.
Laughing, he held it up with a huge smile on his face, and leaned in to kiss her. "It's so perfect. But I think I won. Open it."
Pushing aside the tissue paper, she tossed her head back and covered her mouth to muffle the loud laugh that escaped as Elliot snorted.
With tears rolling down her face, she pulled out a custom funko pop of her, unable to stop her laughter.
"Okay. Okay! You win," she snorted, shaking her head and leaning in to kiss him.
"Thank yoouuuu," he said with a smile, pulling her to straddle his lap.
She did, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and kissing him slowly and passionately, caught up in the moment with him and focused only on his lips on her's.
"A week in Venice is really the winner though," she whispered and he grinned, kissing her again. "I can't wait, baby. Merry Christmas."
She answered him with her lips, molding them with his and sighing happily.
They were so wrapped up in one another, that they didn't hear Eli sneak into the kitchen for a bottle, stopping to watch them for a second before returning to bed and texting in the sibling chat.
E: If we don't love our spouses the way mom and dad love each other… what are we even doing?
M: Preach!!!!!
L: They making out
E: Yeah, but they just are so in love.
D: Mom and dad aren't the only ones in love there little brother.
K: Yeah little brother
M: Oh yeah!
L: I knew
Em: Liz!
E: It's just a promise ring
D: Sure
M: Mhmmm
K: On her left hand
L: Oh Eli
He glanced over to Sam who was sound asleep before laying back and sighing softly to himself.
It was a few minutes later when his phone buzzed with another message. He lifted it, expecting Dickie but instead getting his dad.
E: Don't listen to your brother, if she's worth it, you do whatever it takes.
He squeezed his eyes shut to keep his tears at bay before texting back quickly.
Eli: Dad? She's worth everything.